Instituto Boliviano de Metrología

What Instituto Boliviano de Metrología does

Instituto Boliviano de Metrología (IBMETRO) is the official national metrology institute of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, operating as a government state entity under the Ministry of Development, Productive Economy and Economic Plural (MDPyEP). The institution provides legally mandated measurement services — calibration, verification, testing, accreditation, and certification — to support Bolivia's industrial, commercial, healthcare, and environmental protection sectors. Its service portfolio is organized into three divisions: Industrial Metrology (DMIC) handling calibration under ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standards, Legal Metrology (DML) handling verification of measuring instruments used in commercial transactions, and Technical Accreditation (DTA) recognizing the competence of Conformity Assessment Bodies (OEC). Additional services include proficiency testing, analysis and testing of food/water/air/soil/materials, certified reference materials, technical regulations, customs certification, acceptance certificates, sworn labeling declarations, and training courses.

IBMETRO's technical foundation rests on its 2008 accession to the BIPM CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement and 44 international recognitions for technical competence, enabling measurement traceability to the International System of Units (SI) and international recognition of Bolivian calibration certificates. The institution operates from a central office in Achocalla (La Paz department) and six regional offices across Cobija, Riberalta, Sucre, Tarija, Santa Cruz, and Cochabamba, providing national coverage of Bolivia's nine departments. Distribution occurs through direct in-person service at offices, an online service request portal, email-based quotations with 4-day turnaround, and a free customer hotline.

As a government institution, IBMETRO is funded by public budget allocation rather than commercial revenue, with service pricing not publicly disclosed. Strategic partnerships with Germany's PTB (€1M bilateral water measurement projects), Mexico's CENAM, Peru's INACAL, Colombia's INM, Argentina's INTI, Uruguay's LATU, and the Inter-American Metrology System (SIM) support technical training, equipment standardization, and inter-laboratory comparisons. IBMETRO additionally serves as coordinator of the Andean Region in the SIM Council and coordinates the PTB-CAN quality infrastructure project for the Andean Community of Nations. The institution holds ISO 37001 anti-bribery certification and operates under Bolivia's transparency and anti-corruption framework.

Name

Instituto Boliviano de Metrología

Legal name

Instituto Boliviano de Metrología

Website

https://ibmetro.gob.bo

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

IBMETRO is Bolivia's national metrology institute, providing legally mandated calibration, verification, testing, and accreditation services to industry, commerce, healthcare, and environmental protection sectors. It operates a central office in La Paz plus six regional offices across Bolivia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

National Metrology Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Testing Laboratories and Services (541380)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Standards, Metrology & Accreditation Bodies (BPAIAOAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Calibration Services & Standards (Calibration labs, reference standards, traceability services) (IMAGAFAH), Testing, Inspection, Certification & Commissioning (TICx) Technical Services (BPAHAIAL), Test & Measurement Equipment (Oscilloscopes, DAQ, signal analyzers, calibration benches) (IMAGAFAC), Metrology, Calibration & Testing Equipment (Balances, pH/DO, Standards) (HLAGAIAL)

Keywords

• Metrology services
• Calibration services
• Legal verification
• Conformity assessment
• Reference materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Ciudad La Paz

HQ country

Bolivia

HQ region

Latin America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Public Metrology Services: Government-funded institution providing calibration, verification, testing and certification services. Operates under the Plurinational State of Bolivia with institutional budget from public sources. Services support national metrology infrastructure for industry, commerce, health and environmental protection.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

IBMETRO is Bolivia's national metrology institute providing calibration, verification, accreditation, proficiency testing, and analytical testing services for measuring instruments and reference materials. It operates through three divisions — Industrial Metrology (DMIC), Legal Metrology (DML), and Technical Accreditation (DTA) — delivering legally recognized certificates traceable to the International System of Units (SI) for industry, commerce, healthcare, and environmental protection.

Product overview

IBMETRO operates as Bolivia's National Metrology Institute, offering an integrated portfolio of metrology services organized into three main divisions: Industrial Metrology (DMIC) providing calibration and testing services, Legal Metrology (DML) handling verification and regulation compliance, and Technical Accreditation (DTA) recognizing conformity assessment bodies. The core service portfolio includes calibration according to ISO/IEC 17025:2017, verification of measuring instruments, accreditation services, proficiency testing, analysis and testing for food/water/materials, certified reference materials, technical regulations, customs certification, acceptance certificates, sworn labeling declarations, and training courses. These services support quality assurance for Bolivian industry, trade, healthcare, and environmental protection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Calibration (Calibración) Laboratory calibration services for instruments and measurement equipment conducted according to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standards, providing traceable calibration certificates for industrial metrology clients.
• Verification (Verificación)
• Accreditation (Acreditación)
• Proficiency Testing (Ensayos de Aptitud)
• Analysis and Testing (Análisis y Ensayos)
• Certified Reference Materials (Material de Referencia Certificado)
• Technical Regulation (Reglamento Técnico)
• Customs Services (Servicios Aduaneros)
• Acceptance Certificate (Certificado de Aceptación)
• Sworn Declaration of Labeling (Declaración Jurada de Etiquetado)

Quantifiable outcome

• 4-day turnaround for service quotation requests
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• PTB (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt) - GermanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical cooperation with Germany's National Metrology Institute. PTB has supported IBMETRO through bilateral projects worth €1 million for water measurement sectors. Provides training, equipment, and technical assistance for metrology development.
• SIM (Sistema Interamericano de Metrología)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInter-American Metrology System member. IBMETRO participates in QSTF (Quality System Task Force) for quality system approvals, inter-laboratory comparisons, and technical cooperation among American national metrology institutes. IBMETRO coordinates ANDIMET region.
• BIPM (Bureau International des Poids et Mesures)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Bureau of Weights and Measures. IBMETRO participates as signatory of the CIPM Arrangement of Mutual Recognition since 2008, ensuring international traceability of Bolivian measurements.
• CENAM (Centro Nacional de Metrología) - MexicomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMexico's National Metrology Institute. Collaborative training, technical exchanges, and comparison measurements. CENAM hosts regional schools and training programs attended by IBMETRO technicians.
• INACAL (Instituto Nacional de Calidad) - PerumajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPeru's National Institute for Quality. Active cooperation in metrology training, proficiency testing, and technical exchanges within the Andean Community framework.
• INM (Instituto Nacional de Metrología) - ColombiamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerColombia's National Metrology Institute. Active in ANDIMET coordination and inter-laboratory comparisons within the Andean Community of Nations.
• INTI (Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial) - ArgentinamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArgentina's National Institute of Industrial Technology. Long-standing cooperation in metrology training, equipment standardization, and SIM activities.
• LATU (Laboratorio Tecnológico del Uruguay) - UruguaymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUruguay's Technological Laboratory. Hosted SIM meetings and provides training in industrial metrology and quality systems.
• KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth Korean development cooperation agency. Provided training programs for high-ranking officials on standardization and metrology systems within the project for International Competitiveness Strengthening.
• ANDIMET (Asociación de Institutos Nacionales de Metrología de la Comunidad Andina)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAndean Community National Metrology Institutes Association. IBMETRO serves as Coordinator of the Andean Region in SIM Council. Coordinates PTB-CAN project for quality infrastructure development in the Andean region.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology): United States NMI with global benchmark status. Comparable as the apex reference laboratory framework underlying all CIPM MRA signatories including IBMETRO, though vastly larger in scope and budget.
• PTB (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt): Germany's national metrology institute. IBMETRO's principal bilateral partner (€1M water measurement cooperation) and a global NMI of significantly larger scale.

Direct peers

• INTI (Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial): Argentina's national institute of industrial technology. Provides calibration, testing, and certification services across metrology disciplines and is an established IBMETRO cooperation partner within SIM.
• LATU (Laboratorio Tecnológico del Uruguay): Uruguay's technological laboratory. Provides metrology, testing, and conformity assessment services; an active SIM and ANDIMET partner of IBMETRO.
• INACAL (Instituto Nacional de Calidad): Peru's national quality institute. Combines metrology, accreditation, and standardization functions analogous to IBMETRO's three-division structure (DMIC, DML, DTA).
• INM (Instituto Nacional de Metrología): Colombia's national metrology institute. Coordinates ANDIMET activities alongside IBMETRO and offers a comparable calibration, reference materials, and proficiency testing portfolio in the Andean region.
• INMETRO (Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Qualidade e Tecnologia): Brazil's national metrology, quality, and technology institute. Directly comparable as a regional Latin American NMI offering calibration, verification, accreditation, and conformity assessment services under a similar CIPM MRA signatory mandate.
• CENAM (Centro Nacional de Metrología): Mexico's national metrology center. Offers ISO/IEC 17025 calibration across scientific and industrial metrology; a close peer in scope and an active IBMETRO technical exchange partner within SIM.

Others

• SIM (Sistema Interamericano de Metrología): Inter-American Metrology System that coordinates regional NMI cooperation. IBMETRO is an active SIM member and ANDIMET region coordinator, positioning SIM as an ecosystem peer rather than a service competitor.
• BIPM (Bureau International des Poids et Mesures): The international intergovernmental organization that oversees the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement under which IBMETRO is a signatory. Functions as the umbrella body for the global NMI network rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ibmetrobolivia
• Facebookfacebook.com/ibmetro

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Instituto Boliviano de Metrología